ergot

Other forms: ergots

Definitions of ergot
  1. noun
    a fungus that infects various cereal plants forming compact black masses of branching filaments that replace many grains of the plant; source of medicinally important alkaloids and of lysergic acid
    synonyms: Claviceps purpurea
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    types:
    rye ergot
    a sclerotium or hardened mass of mycelium
    type of:
    fungus
    an organism of the kingdom Fungi lacking chlorophyll and feeding on organic matter; ranging from unicellular or multicellular organisms to spore-bearing syncytia
  2. noun
    a plant disease caused by the ergot fungus
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    type of:
    plant disease
    a disease that affects plants
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